The Photo Album
by crusherccme
Summary: Rachel is spring cleaning and finds an old photo album. 300 years after the books. Then Rachel decides to finally move in with Al. Rachel/Al
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there! This is just a one-shot for now, but if you want more then just tell me in a review. Remember to review once you finish reading. This is a Rachel/Al story, so if you don't like then don't read. I don't like people who dislike my stories. Thanks for reading! Remember to review.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**The Photo Album**

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An old, moldy stench reached me as I moved around some of my demon texts. It was the first day of spring, so of course I decided to do some spring cleaning. I had already cleaned out my closet, throwing out old out-of-fashion clothes. They tend to build up after a while. My current task: organizing my library. I had amassed an extensive collection of demon texts over the years. Enough to start to rival Al's in size.

Al. He was the only stable point in my entire existence. The only constant, always following the same patterns. He would pick me up for our lesson every Saturday night. When we arrived in his workshop, he would always offer for me to move in with him. And I would always say no.

Sometimes I wonder why I decline his offer. There is nothing left that this side of the lines has to offer. No one left that I knew. I had stopped trying to make friends after a few generations. So I really don't know―

Oh! Now this isn't a demon text. The faded red cover was all dusty, so it obviously wasn't something I've seen recently. Well what was it? The only way to find out would be to open it, so I hope that it isn't spelled to explode or something equally nasty.

Opening the book, I see carefully placed and labeled pictures. It's my photo album! I had thought that I lost it ages ago. It's great to have it back. Maybe spring cleaning can wait a while. I really want to see which pictures I had in it.

I was greeted by a picture of myself in a white uniform. I was surrounded by other girls in similar uniforms. Was that . . .? Yes! That was taken during my stay at "Demon Rehab." I know it sounds stupid, but that was what it took to get the coven off my back. Of course, I wasn't really fixed, but what they don't know can't hurt them. Well, it can hurt them, but anyway they never figured out that I'm still summoning demons. I am a demon, but a couple of curses made the coven forget that little fact.

That was a fun time. I can still almost hear the doctors saying "Demons are bad. Demons are very bad. Do not summon demons." The funniest part was that some girls actually fell for it and were 'fixed.' I just pretended and was able to get out in just under three months once they thought I was 'cured.'

I hope that the next picture is as funny as this one. I like the funny pictures the most. Now let's see . . . . Oh gosh! That horrible day! My mother's funeral. The tombstone not yet placed, new grass still to grow, all the mourners in black wept. I will always miss her. She lasted a long time. Slightly past the normal life expectancy for witches. But she was dead, and I still looked only thirty.

Sometimes I really hate demon curses. They keep you alive for over two hundred fifty years longer than all your friends and family, and you know that you will still have a lonely existence for centuries to come. But at least I was still alive. If there is one thing I fear, it's death. Deep thoughts for someone who only wanted to clean today. Maybe I have some happier memories in here.

Yes, I do. There's Jenks, holding his first granddaughter. He was so happy to see her, that it temporarily eased his pain from missing Matalina. Now they are someplace together. I don't know where though. I don't really have any religious beliefs.

I used to be a somewhat religious person. Now I don't really know what to believe. When I was younger, I believed that the Ever After was hell and that the demons were the same thing as devils. I know now that I'm wrong, though. But if the Ever After isn't hell, then is there even a hell? Or a heaven? I don't really know, but I do know that two kind pixies like Jenks and Matalina would end up somewhere good. I just know it.

And there's a photo of Ivy. Oh, Ivy! I miss her so much. It seems like almost yesterday when that car hopped the curb and killed her. She was a good undead, or at least as close as an undead could come to being good. I never figured out in time how to save a vampire's soul. I had been toying with the idea of extracting the soul, then replacing it after she became an undead. I never got the chance to do anything, though. I haven't looked into in since Ivy died. It doesn't matter anymore. As an undead, Ivy finally took over Piscary's restaurant. She returned it to an all-vamp setting, and restored Kisten's dance club upstairs.

But then Ivy became careless. She missed the sun so much. One day Ivy forgot what she was now and stepped outside during the day to pick flowers. She burnt to a crisp, and then exploded into a pile of ash. It was a horrible sight to see. But here, behind this old picture of her, is an envelope with her ashes in it. Maybe one day I'll find a curse to bring her back. I haven't found anything yet in my library or Al's, but I'll keep on looking until I find one. The amount of smut doesn't really matter. It used to, but no longer. I have already come to terms with the fact that my soul will never be clean again, and so I don't care about smut.

You know what? I probably should have just kept cleaning out my library. I can't take all these sad memories. All my friends and family are dead. Even Ceri and Trent and all the other elves are dead. I miss everyone so much. I miss them every day. Sometimes I wish that I could just die a natural death, but all the demon curses prevent that. Well, the curses as well as my fear of death.

I really can't handle it all. I mean, just look at me! Here I am, crying just from looking through a couple pages of a two hundred year old photo album. And today's a Saturday! I can't face Al like this! But sundown is real soon, so I have to go to my weekly lesson.

Wait a minute . . . . Al. he has been the one thing in my life that has remained throughout all the decades. I had hated him at first for being a demon and trying to steal my soul. But I'm a demon, and over the years I have stolen many souls and killed multiple familiars by overworking them. Maybe Al isn't so bad after all. Maybe it's finally time to move in with Al.

I feel a pull on the ley-line. Al is here. Time for my lesson. I have no need to pack an overnight bag. I have found over the years that it is just easier to keep a second wardrobe with Al in the Ever After. That way I don't have to pack and worry about forgetting something.

"Come on, Rachel," he calls from outside. "Time to go. You'd better not make me come in there."

"I'm coming!" he'd better not just pop in here. I hate it when he does that.

I walk as calmly as I can manage to Al. He looks the same as usual, though about a hundred years ago he changed his appearance some. No more glasses and gloves, and he had shortened his hair to a more modern buzz cut. Though it shouldn't have matched his old-fashioned clothes, it worked for Al.

Taking my hand in his, Al brought us to his workshop. He turned to me and asked the same question he always does. "Rachel, would you like to stay with me in the Ever After?

Now this is the part where I always say 'no.' It has become somewhat of a tradition between us. I made my decision before I left the church. Gathering my resolve, I looked up into Al's fiery demon eyes. I knew I was sealing my fate as I said, "Yes."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi!So almost everyone wanted more and here it is. I rewrote this several times cos I really don't want to ruin the first chapter (which was only supposed to be a oneshot). Don't hate me if this isn't good. If it isn't then it's your fault. I'm still not happy with it, but I kept everyone waiting for too long already. So here it is**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the books. But I do own the plot and Jessy.**

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~~~~~~~~~ Chapter Two ~~~~~~~~

Whoa. Al sure is surprised. I hope he doesn't have a heart attack or something. Can demons even have heart attacks? I'm not so sure that I want to know.

Who knew that one little word would be so hard for me to say? That it would have such an effect on Al. His usually emotionless face betrayed the shock he felt. He was frozen, immobile, waiting to see if he did indeed hear me right. If he did hear me say 'yes' to his centuries-old question. If I did confirm that I would stay with him in the Ever After.

And I did. I said it. Now he just needs to realize that I meant it. As I walk up to him I notice how tall he is. I'll never get used to how much taller he is than me. I'm pretty tall, but Al is still taller than me. I bet he does it on purpose. With some kind of growth curse.

"Al? Al!" Still no response. Shit. I didn't expect him to act like this. Stepping closer, I slap him across the face. Hard. Again, no response. "Al? Algaliarept? Hello? Earth to Al. I said 'yes'. Wake up!"

I laughed. It was always funny to say something like that. And the other person always does one of two things. They either don't respond or say a dazed 'what?'. Like I said. Funny.

My laughter seemed to make Al snap out of whatever state of confusion he was in. "Huh? What? Did you say 'yes' or has my mind finally deceived me? Rachel! Where are you?"

Definitely dazed. And he didn't see me. Though it was still worrisome, it was way too funny to see the usually aware demon confused like this. I laughed again, causing Al to look down and finally notice me. He asks, "Did you really mean it?"

"Yes, Al. I did. I want to stay with you. Are you okay? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine. Just surprised is all. But that is wonderful! Marvelous! I can't tell you how pleased I am. All these years. . . . Hold on a minute." He stepped away from me, calling out, "Jessy! Come show Rachel to her rooms."

Yeah, so Al got me some rooms a while ago, but wouldn't let me see them until I agreed to stay with him. Yet another way he has tried to tempt me to say 'yes'. I wonder what my rooms look like. I hope they aren't pink. I hate pink.

A small form materialized in the room. Jessy, my current familiar. At just five feet, she was much shorter than me, though her curly blond hair gave her another inch or two on top. She's a sweet little witch. Always very willing to help me since I let her keep her soul.

She actually didn't mind being a familiar, surprisingly. Jessy's soul was already very black when I found her, so she doesn't care about smut at all. Previously, she had been summoning demons, trying to get them to spell her with immortality. She's lucky that I was the demon to take her as a familiar. I try to be nice to my familiars. Plus, Jessy now has the immortality she always wanted.

I still regret killing my other familiars. I'll never take away a familiar's soul; therefore they were able to think. And attempt to kill me. The only way I could think of to stop them was forcing a ley-line through them. Unfortunately, they couldn't hold that much energy and died. I finally learned from my mistakes and cursed Jessy to never try to harm me or Al. No problems with her so far, though it's only been about twenty years.

Jessy was also cursed to be able to jump between rooms. Either she or Al had to take me everywhere. I will not jump myself. I can, but I won't. You have to have a certain mindset to jump, and I haven't had it since Bis ran away with some female gargoyle. It just wasn't the same jumping without him.

But Al was having Jessy take me to my rooms. Why couldn't Al take me? He was here, and I much prefer Al to Jessy. "Al? Why can't _you_ take me to my rooms?" I hope I don't sound as pathetic to him as I do to myself by asking that.

Al started walking away. "I have some . . . _business_ to take care of. Right now."

That wasn't good enough for me. "Can't you do it later?"

"No. Right now," he said, somewhat coldly. Jeez, it was just a question.

This is so frustrating. Why can't he just take me? "Well, what is this 'business' of yours?"

"It's just business."

"What _kind_ of business."

"Just something." Al sure does know how to avoid a question. But I won't give up that easily. I need to know why he's leaving.

"What. Is. It! Just answer me!"

He just looks away guiltily. Jessy shifts on her feet, uncomfortable at having to witness this stupid argument. I'll deal with her later.

I know ways to force Al to tell me. I quickly circled him, causing him to jump in surprise. "Algaliarept! I demand that you tell me right now what this important 'business' of yours is.

"I have to go settle some bets."

Bets? That is such a stupid reason. "Explain." I was so angry right now that my voice was almost a hiss.

"Some other demons placed bets on how long it would take you to say 'yes'. I have to tell them right away, otherwise they may think that I waited to tell them in favor of one of the demons. Besides, right now they're all together. It would take _hours_ to track them all down at another time."

Bets! Why would anyone want to place a bet on me? This is so frustrating. I finally agree to stay with Al and he won't even stay home with me for over five minutes. _Really frustrating._

It's been a tough day. First the photo album, then telling Al 'yes', and now_ this_. They took bets on me! _Me_! I am _not_ like some stupid racehorse that you can make bets on.

And I was not being left behind. I want to yell at those bastards and give them a piece of my mind. No one makes bets on me!

"Jessy, leave. Now." She vanished, leaving just me and Al. "I'm coming with you."

He sighed in defeat, knowing that he won't be able to change my mind. "Fine. Let's go." He grabbed my arm, somewhat roughly, and tapped a line. I felt a slight pull, and then we were gone. On our way to meet the betting demons. They had better watch out, because I was _pissed_!

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